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African Tree Toad Facts & Worksheets

African tree toads, or Nectophryne afra, are a small toad species native to lowland forests of West and Central Africa, and part of the Bufonidae family.

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African tree toads, or Nectophryne afra, are a small toad species native to lowland forests of West and Central Africa, and part of the Bufonidae family. Despite being one of the least threatened species, African tree toads are continuously decreasing in number due to habitat loss.

See the fact file below for more information on the African Tree Toad or alternatively, you can download our 18-page African Tree Toad worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

TAXONOMY

  • African tree toads have two subspecies: African tree toad and the Bates’ tree toad. Both are the same size and color but differ in geographical location.
  • These little toads are part of the family Bufonidae, class Amphibia, phylum Chordata, kingdom Animalia, and genus Nectophryne.

PHYSICAL FEATURES

  • African tree toads are tiny striped toad species, with adults reaching 2.5 cm to 3.8 cm in length. They can reach 0.07 to 0.18 ounces in weight.
  • The frogs range from dark to light brown in color, with patches of white on their belly.
  • African Tree toads have a small body with distinct partially webbed feet.
  • They have long and thin toes that have circular disc patterns on the front tips. Their toes are widely separated in order for the African Tree toads to obtain stronger grips in large surface areas.

BEHAVIOR

  • African tree toads camouflage well in their surroundings. Their size and skin markings make them very difficult to spot on the forest floor.
  • They are semi-aquatic animals, just like any other toad. They are terrestrial by day and retreat to high vegetation by night to stay safe from their natural predators.
  • Their distinct feet help them to walk and hop on the ground, where they are able to look for food and water.
  • These toads are often found in the water outside the breeding season.
  • The African tree toad’s semi-webbed feet make it well adapted to its land- and water-based lifestyle.

HABITAT AND DIET

  • The African tree toad is native to west and central Africa, which spans from southwestern Nigeria through Cameroon to Equatorial Guinea (including Bioko), Gabon, and northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
  • It inhabits subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and abandoned forests with an abundant water supply. Currently, African tree toads are found exclusively in taller forests.
  • Because of their tiny size, African tree toads have a number of natural predators, such as fish, birds, lizards, snakes, rodents, and other larger frogs and toads.
  • African tree toads are carnivorous amphibians that feed on small invertebrates, such as insects, worms, and spiders. Just like any other toad, they are apex predators which sit and wait for their prey in silence. They shoot their long, sticky tongue at fast speeds to catch food.

REPRODUCTION

  • Female African tree toads lay up to 200 sticky eggs in small bodies of water in empty tree cavities.
  • The males guard the eggs until they hatch into tadpoles. No records show what these tadpoles feed on, but once they undergo metamorphosis, they jump out of their nest and start looking for food in the forest.
  • African tree toads kept as pets typically live up to three to four years; however, the lifespan of these toads left in the wild remains unknown.

CONSERVATION

  • Currently, the IUCN lists the African tree toad as a species of least concern. Although it is not vulnerable to being endangered, its population continues to decrease due to habitat loss caused by deforestation and pollution.
  • The small size of these toads makes them very difficult to spot in their natural habitats, resulting to unknown human activity on these species.
  • African tree toads are found in national parks, such as the Korup National Park, Monte Alén National Park, and Virunga National Park.
  • These toads are known to be involved in the exotic pet trade.

African Tree Toad Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the African Tree Toad across 18 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use African Tree Toad worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the African tree toads, or Nectophryne afra, which are a small toad species native to lowland forests of West and Central Africa, and part of the Bufonidae family. Despite being one of the least threatened species, African tree toads are continuously decreasing in number due to habitat loss.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • African Tree Toad Facts
  • Introducing African Tree Toads
  • Facts About These Toads
  • A Toad’s Life
  • Ask a Toad
  • More Facts
  • Two Tree Toads
  • Other Toads
  • Frog vs Toad
  • Grundel the Toad
  • Toad Origami

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Link will appear as African Tree Toad Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, January 13, 2020

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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